October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and it’s the second leading cause of cancer death among women. So if you could do whatever possible to reduce your chances of getting breast cancer, would you?
Being overweight or obese, especially post menopause, increases your chance of breast cancer by 30-60%. After menopause, estrogen mainly comes from fat cells, therefore the more body fat you have the higher your blood estrogen levels will be. The link between estrogen and breast cancer has not gone unnoticed, “Women with higher estrogen levels have an increased risk of breast cancer compared to women with lower estrogen levels.” – ww5.komen.org
Not only does being overweight mess with your hormones, it can also raise your insulin levels. Post-menopausal women are at an increased risk of getting breast cancer if they have high levels of insulin.
Luckily, in most situations, your weight is something you do have control over and can make specific lifestyle changes in order to decrease your weight and decrease your chances of breast cancer.
The main two things you need to change are your diet and exercise. That’s it. There are no secrets or quick fixes when it comes to overall health and sustainable weight loss. Here are TWO SIMPLE CHANGES to make to get started:
- CUT BACK ON SUGAR and simple carbs!! Shop the perimeter of the grocery store (vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, etc) and start cutting out processed, pre-packaged foods!
- MOVE MORE! Walk more, get your heart rate up and get your sweat on! This will help to burn calories and overall contribute to your new healthy lifestyle!
You don’t only want to see that bodyweight number decrease, you want to make sure you are eating foods and doing things that can heal your body from the inside out!
The National Breast Cancer Foundation is a great place to learn more about breast cancer and the risk factors involved. Here is an introduction to get you started:
Breast Cancer is no joke, so take every effort you can to prevent your risk of this disease. If you are at an unhealthy weight, start there because it is something you can control versus other cancer risk factors such as genetics, which are out of your control. If you have a hard time getting started, call Blue Sky MD and we can help you start on a healthier path with your weight loss!
